The Huguenot Bartholomew Dupuy and his descendants

Chap.
I .
"Cover
122 BARTHOLOMEW DUPUY IN HISTORY.
us all up
in the bottom of the boat with
-Tjjg an old sail," he said to the boatman. "Then hoist
Fugi- your sail and go right toward the frigate, pretendtives.
jjjg ^Q endeavor to gain Tremblade. If they hail
you, say you are from Rochelle. If they ask what
you have on board, say nothing but ballast ;
and it
would be well for you and your son to counterfeit
drunkenness^ tumbling about in the boat, and then
you can, as if by accident, let the sail fall three
times, and so inform the English captain who
we are."
The order was instantly obeyed, the fugitives
covered with an old sail, and the boat passed within
pistol-shot of the frigate, which hailed her. The
reply was as Fontaine had directed.
"But what made you cast anchor?"
"I hoped the wind would change, and we could
make Tremblade, but it's still too strong for us,"
As he spoke the boatman cursed his son, who
had dropped the sail, as had been agreed. The
father left the helm and pretended to strike him
with a rope-end. The son cried out lustily, and the
people in the frigate ordered the elder to desist, or
they would come and treat him likewise.
"The rascal's as drunk as a hog," said the boatman,
returning to the helm. "Hoist the sail there !"
The son let it fall twice in succession, as he pretended
to obev.
"Return to Rochelle— the wind is too rough!"
came from the frigate.
"Yes, Captain," said the boatman, joyfully, for
that was exactly the direction of the English ship,
and the boat fled before the wind toward the Englishman,
through the yawning waves of the rising
storm. They got safe on board while the frigate
was still in sight, and the brig instantly put to sea.
Kneeling upon the spray-covered deck, with his
arms around his niece and his betrothed, Fontaine
returned devout thanks to God. As he rose from
his knees, the coast of France was disappearing in
the darkness. /